Speaking before students of the Far Eastern University on Thursday, Santiago said the “greater majority” of the country’s 50 million voters who will troop to the precincts in May “are not intelligent … not educated for voting.”

And, as there is no educational requirement for candidates vying for elective posts, voters are likely to end up choosing among many who “are not educated for serving,” she said.

Compounding the problem is the lack of a literacy requirement to qualify voters so that the “uneducated poor” invariably vote the actors they see in films and television, thinking their screen persona would translate into what they could be or deliver in real life.

And if not to actors, these voters will sell their votes to the “rich candidates,” or those moneyed enough to buy 30-second spots on television in this season of premature campaigning.

Is it any wonder we are where we are?

The problem with elections

Santiago presented her observations in a speech, “The Problem With Elections,” at FEU. Copies of the speech were e-mailed to Senate reporters.

Lest she be charged with plagiarism, Santiago said that “most of what” she said were taken from “Modern Politics and Government” by Alan R. Ball and B. Guy Peters (the 7th edition released in 2005).

The Constitution, said Santiago, bestows sovereignty on the people and that “all government authority emanates from them.”

Problem is, the “people,” or the 50 million voters in this country who are given the right to choose their leaders only need to comply with the “at least 18 years old” age requirement and residency in the Philippines for at least one year.

These are criteria that she believes “are no longer enough for the 21st century.”

Criteria for the 21st century

If the law also provides for free public education up to high school level, why not make this the mandatory educational requirement for voters? Santiago asked.

“If a person is a borderline moron, why should his vote equal the vote of a college graduate?” she said.

It does not help that the law also does not require that a candidate for public office possess a minimum level of education.

She wondered why a policeman needs to have a college degree but the same requirement is not imposed on those aspiring to become senators and congressmen.

In the liberal democratic theory of representation that follows the principle of rationalism, humans are considered creatures of reason who can identify their own interests and opinions and are aware of “the wider claims of the community,” the senator said.

A person would then be expected to “vote in an intelligent fashion, and is consequently entitled to share in the selection of representatives,” she said.

But, whoa! There is a caveat, said Santiago.

This would only be correct “if the voter and the voted are educated,” she said.

Applying visual test

In the case of candidates that voters choose only because they are the ones they see in movies or on TV, Santiago said the voters are only applying “a visual test to candidates.”

If the candidate plays the role of “champion of the poor,” then the uneducated poor will vote him to office for this reason only.

“Thus, they are voting for actors … (who will) continue their acting in the legislature,” she said.

Santiago said there are instances where actors voted to office “are acting as senators and congressmen, merely relying on their legislative staff to feed them with the proper things to say during the sessions of Congress.”

“In effect, therefore, they are little better than talking dummies. And in addition, I worry that they might be more susceptible to the pressures exerted by lobby groups and other interest groups funded by the rich,” she added.

Santiago has four colleagues in the Senate who were actors before they became senators: Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Majority Leader Tito Sotto and Senators Bong Revilla Jr. and Lito Lapid, the latter two being huge action stars.

Of course, the deposed President and convicted plunderer Joseph Estrada was a hugely popular movie star whose real and reel lives intersected on the public stage, beginning with the screen name by which he is largely known.

Revilla continues to make fantasy-based action movies that earn big at the tills while Sotto still hosts the noontime show “Eat Bulaga” on days when the Senate is not in session.

There are reports that Lapid will soon star in a teleserye based on his popular “Leon Guerrero” character in ABS-CBN.

Not all votes are equal

Santiago lamented that the democratic vision of “one person, one vote, one value” during elections has been largely wasted.

“If majority of the voters are not educated, then there is no reason why one vote should be equal to another vote. Not all votes are equal,” she said.

“I agree with Thomas Jefferson that there should be a clear emphasis on the importance of an educated majority as a prerequisite for Philippine representative government,” Santiago said.

She said she also supported the suggestion of the 19th-century British philosopher and political economist John Stuart Mill that the right to vote be limited to the literate, and that “we should increase the vote of the people with certain superior qualities.”

Mob democracy at work

The senator said her exposure to politics for the past 15 years has made her really anxious about what she perceives to be a “mob democracy” at work in the country.

“I am very anxious about the uneducated majority in the Philippines,” she said.

She said these conditions have created “election distortions” that eventually translate to undeserving candidates winning in the polls and the decision of the uneducated prevailing over that of the educated ones.

Santiago referred to her loss in the 1992 presidential election to former President Fidel Ramos. While she did not name Ramos directly, she talked about “the person who claimed that he won the presidential election (but who) was only a plurality president” in her speech.

She said the “most notorious” of all election distortions is “electoral corruption” committed by rich candidates.

And it does not help that the media also commit distortions, especially in playing up the images of those who can afford to place costly ads on TV.

She exhorted her student audience to begin a social media campaign that would encourage “smart voting among the uneducated” by insisting that candidates adhere to “academic and professional excellence” as well as a “record of moral positions on national policy issues.”

“For example, you should campaign so that voters will say ‘yes’ to candidates who favors the bills that I have filed such as the reproductive health bill, sin tax bill, Magna Carta for Internet Freedom bill and the freedom of information bill,” the senator said.

Santiago also urged the students to rally against “epal (credit-grabbing) candidates, political dynasties and premature campaigning.”

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Serious Comedian

I seriously love this woman. And she has balls.

Pluma Mana

totoo nga!

mabyrik

Now, Miriam is talking with sense. She is absolutely right in saying that Filipino voters are dumb and stupid.

Sotto is a very good example of their stupidity.

As long as the voters remain dumb and stupid, this nation will remain as the most pitiful nation in Asia despite its abundant resources and potentials.

joshmale2004

Honorable Senator Santiago you have made your point very clearly. I completely agree with you.

delacruzjuana31

It is true though. This woman senator has sense in all what she says. Just look at all those “artista” in the Senate and Congress. So lamentable. They should not be there. Look what happened to all the investigations they did, it was all “zarzuela” to me. Remove them. It is clearly said. And those actor-politicians are “abusers” and “know-it-all” people.

delacruzjuana31

This discourages a lot of those educated ones to run. We Filipinos have lots of potentials. Put down those who abuse their authority. Estrada, Revilla, Lapid. What can they do? Embarrasing in the august body.

filipinaskoh

For once I agree with what Santiago said. After all this Brenda has still part of her brain that wasn’t damaged by her mouth.

You have wisdom and I hope you align your mouth with your wisdom so as you would not sound irritating.

But on the other hand isn’t it the poor and uneducated are being deprived of their right to vote? But if we are to set standard to candidates just like the qualifications set by the constitution to supreme court justices – but then this would still be used once a corrupt government had it seat and will control the elections.

No matter how you view it, it seems everything are being worthless once corruption step in.

Somehow this senator is right, a genius when not in tantrums. At the end it is still government of uneducated people.

DarkJustice

“She wondered why a policeman needs to have a college degree but the same requirement is not imposed on those aspiring to become senators and congressmen.” —That I agree! And that is why our country is in deep SH*T!

http://www.facebook.com/perryutanis101 Perry Utanis

Totally true, how deep these problem goes affect the whole lifeline issues in this country.

I agree with Santiago, that is why she was elected and reelected despite of being branded as brenda.
On the other hand, why voters should be educated….voting is only a choice, voters have the feel and instinct which they think is best for them.
They have the grasp.

Change the qualifications of candidates and not the choice of the voters…that is Freedom of Choice.

http://profile.yahoo.com/CAWLT6SE3IC36RTDVRUIDWO364 Dag Erickson

Boy Bakal, as to how my understanding here goes, what Tita Mirriam wanted to say here is that, AN EDUCATED CHOICE. It is because most of our Filipino brothers and sisters’ mind set is that of an illiterate person. If they see you on TV or movie , they will vote for you. Just like that. In this case, we have to change the law on political candidates congressional and senatorial level which I agree 100%

Luthmar

Grasp? Sure, when they have P100 or P200 in their hands from the candidates.

Feel and instinct? Yes, after seeing them in the movies.

Hey_Dudes

I think the operative words madam Meriam is – “Bakya Democracy” rather than the other way around as you put it. However, who do you think is or was – responsible in producing this type of citizens besides the catholic church insisting more is great? Yes, madam maybe not you but majority of your colleagues in congress and to a large degree government have wasted so much money, time and effort in improving the lives of Filipinos already existing. Rather than using the money towards effective governance with the view in mind of giving the best for the citizens, billions of money tons of it through the years instead – went to thieves in government?

What can you say about that madam Meriam. You are strong on words but can hardly make a dent to the thick hides of those elected to work for the people but ending up enriching themselves only?

niap kcen

they’re all called politicians.. a role model, “who are “not educated for serving”, but obsessed with greed and power.. i disagree with her arguments, only reasoning and talking.. not caring about “doing”.. same old style..

For once, Senator Santiago, you are talking sense. However, a college education does not necessarily translate to intelligent voting or intelligent decision on who to vote. We could and should do away with the talking heads and dummies you refer to and they are not confined to actors and richies who can afford 30 second flashes on tv. Education does not translate to wisdom. There was a law graduate and ex judge and a senator who actually promised to jump off an airplane if Erap (a popular actor voted to the Office of the President) was deposed! Of course she ‘lied’…. an education under the belt is not necessarily wisdom, which we direly need in our politics. Sadly, you are 101% correct this time around. Thank you.

http://profile.yahoo.com/CAWLT6SE3IC36RTDVRUIDWO364 Dag Erickson

Just look at the political climate in the Philippines right now. All their arguments and topics are non sense! Main problems like how to remove squatters from Metro Manila or how to discourage them from coming to Manila and establish a colony. Next, the quality of education that we have in the Philippines. We have high school graduates who cannot express themselves in one paragraph in english. Just look at NOLI DE CASTRO. US intelligence report stated that he is functionally illiterate. Just listen when he reports on TV. The other reporter’s name is JEFF take note of the F on Jeff. Noli says, hello JEPP? JEPP can you hear me now JEPP? tsk, tsk, tsk!

Marx Louis Wang

Dag, he knows how to read, he is just careless in pronouncing it. Give a much more viable example to prove De Castro is illiterate or you are just exaggerating.

Most of what our lady senator said are true. Voters should at least be high school graduates. The candidates should be college graduates. Sometimes even degree holders are still weak in analysis and weak in providing solutions to problems.

Most of all eliminate dynasties in our govt. The govt. is not a private enterprise. It is the tax payers who provide for their salaries and from whom they steal.

correct, but education is not a guarantee. but i agree that aspiring to be public servants must be college graduates and if possible a board passer or at least civil service exam passer. to voters, how about, only those who file income tax has the right to vote? if you do not file do not vote.

But this article just reminded me back in 2001 during EDSA III when Santiago, speaking before a pro-Erap rally, said “Ayaw ko ng junta, gusto ko si Pangulong Estrada”. Who were in that rally? The UNEDUCATED ones who were paid to stage a rally. And who is this Meriam was supporting? Yes, the MOVIE ACTOR. The pioneer of actor-politicians.

pepengkabayo

I think it is not about voters and leaders not educated.
What I observed in other races is that they are smart. You talk to them and you can sense that there is substance on what they are talking about.
Though most of them are not educated and undereducated.

Even filipinos are educated they talk nonsense, they talk senseless. Only few can talk with meaning.
In short, filipinos are not that smart. We lack expression, we cannot express. We are little dumb and dumber.
Maybe our brains are like monkey brain, monkey see, filipino do.
Also.our education is wrong, it is focused on spelling and grammar and not thinking and expressing.

Though I agree with Santiago, Leaders need education in order to qualify to run as congressman or senator or else they will be silent class like mute and deaf.
Still, filipinos need to be smart and intelligent to be an intelligent voters.

ceejay2420

I agree the voters and also the voted, in many instances, are not intelligent and hardly make good decisions thus we keep having officials that do not work and promote national interests. Result-government can barely perform and lead the country to progress. But requiring the voters to have a high school diploma to qualify to cast ballot and/or, candidates have college degree before they are voted upon,to my mind does not guarantee a wise electorate and effective government. The most educated officials are sometimes also the most corrupt and oppressive leaders. Marcos is one. Secondly, denying the people the right to vote just because they did not finish school is unconstitutional. We are denying humans their basic right.

But I certainly subscribe to the opinion that we need to educate our voters. This means making our electorate realize that on their vote rests their life and future of their family. It is a very powerful instrument granted them under our democratic system of government. The officials we shall put into office are our workers responsible to deliver us better life and if they are not sure these candidates can do the job or they do have dubious character, these people should not be given chance to hold position.

AlexanderAmproz

I have no words to say how good you are,
the opposite of what you are used to show.

I was sorry when you lost against Ramos

Half Cat, half Dog with Ate Glue

Now you come back with a clear basic sense
to stop to step on the head.

Everybody who love the Philippines, will love you,

wish you success

blainz

I’ve said this before: Require anyone running for any public office to pass the Civil Service Examination. This will weed out those who have neither the aptitude nor the willingness for real public service.

There also has to be a moratorium on all candidates of at least a year barring them from hosting TV/radio programs, starring in movies, and commercial endorsements before filing their COCs. Elected officials will have the moratorium stay for the length of their term.

I don’t think a high school requirement for suffrage can be placed without a Constitutional amendment. The last sentence of Article 5, Section 1 of the Constitution reads very clearly:

“No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.”

Barring that, as above, there are other ways the law can at least provide for a more qualified field of candidates given, euphemistically, a “less than optimally educated” electorate.

AlexanderAmproz

Why not to bind it with the introduction of the K-12 Program ?
Giving an opportunity of equal chances in 12 Years,
a food program should be included.

The duty of the school is to built an adapted citizenship,
teaching how to learn and think by them-self,
the opposite of the famous fake text books…

To built a responsible citizenship is a sure way for a better future
a nice challenge for an hopeless Wild West Criminal Country.

Instead to increase Army budget for an hopeless war,
Education budget, school allocations, medical services
should be increased, an much better investment,

everything has a price, question of choice and application.

lapasan

Here, I agree with Miriam 100%. She is sane and very smart legislator after all. I think that corruption in this country starts during the election because trapos have to spend millions of pesos to buy off irresponsible voters who are as despicable as the trapos they are voting for. These voters mostly come from the lower or uneducated income group. And when these trapos are elected into office, they recoup their expenses by getting commissions in big projects or any other means where they can get kickback. This kind of election will bring about the election of demagogues and undeserving candidates. The longer these politicians stay in office, the more corrupt they become, and the stronger their desire to cling to power. I think that there is a need to have voters education infused in high school curriculum or those persons who will vote for the first time has to undergo first a sort of “voters education or responsible voting” before they will be registered as new voters.

http://jaoromero.com/ Jao Romero

while it is tempting to desire a world where only the educated can vote, the reality is that education is not a guarantee of wisdom. it is not even a guarantee against gullibility or stupidity.

the right to vote is the right of a free society. to restrict every man’s right to vote is to curtail their freedom. weighted votes is even stupider. a free society aspires that everyone should be equal. weighted votes will create castes within our society.

the solution is not to take away the rights of the uneducated but to educate them.

but i do agree we need to require candidates to pass minimum educational requirements. because public office is not a right but a privilege.

candidates must at least be well-versed in economics, law, sociology, politics, history, and science. i suggest a board exam for politicians, with only those passing able to run for office.

suburbanmother

Your suggestion will knock down three quarters of those who are sitting in office.

Wow indeed. On this period of her cycle I commend Mirriam for verbalizing one of the picture of Philippine politics and giving some solutions. However, I have some reservations. How come other democratic countries in the world are having good government and prosperous without the solutions she had presented?. I believe the problem is the implementation of the laws of the land. Philippines has a lot of laws but not all of them are being implemented. The NBI, PNP, and the Military should be re-trained to be subservient to Civilian authority, serve and protect the people (not some individuals), implement the laws, and serve as an example for the people. The Filipino value of “delikadeza” should be re- taught to the new generation and to public officials. The Comelec, the government from barangay captain to the President should serve as an example to the people. This I believe are the solutions rather than limiting the freedom of suffrage.

gregory robinson

Miriam Santiago is as ignorant as she claims others are, possibly more. She’s already senile, unfit, and ready for the funny farm.

I am all for education, we couldn’t get enough of it. However, the premise by the ICC judge wanna-be that the gov’t is what it is because of the electorate is a second-rate try-hard excuse.

joerizal

Having a degree is different than having an education. I guess Brenda doesn’t know the difference.

http://profile.yahoo.com/VUFRGRCCA5JXOLKEVCJQ3FBW3Y Concerned Citizen

Sen Santiago is correct. That is why she is holding her position now.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NJNV6WMCAJ44FECKWLLVIWGC2E Vic

What is most terribly frustrating is highly educated people supported under-educated people. Angara, Drillon, Biazon, Lina and many more campaigned vigorously for Erap who is not only a drop-out but also an open womanizer as if this is normal for a Filipino father.

As if this wasn’t enough, FPJ, a six-grader, was supported by Escudero, Binay, Romero, and many more just to beat GMA because FPJ was more popular than GMA. They fielded FPJ because they could not find a popular dog or a horse to do job.

boyod

Now! what did you learn on Gloria Arroyo after her stint as President for 9 horror full years and she was an economist kuno graduated in one of our prestigious universities.

RMJJAL

That is why we have “bobo” senators and senatongs.
Kudos to Sen. Santiago. Before we had Sen. Salonga, Manglapus, Diokno, Soc Rodrigo, Antonino, Sumulong, Aquino etc., very resptable names. Now we have Sen. Revilla, Estrada, Lapid, Soto, Trillanes, Etc., are they respectable?

blowcoldblowhot

Sen Estrada is Ateneo and UP educated.

http://twitter.com/neps365 Prince Neps

Yes, because of his family name. :)

http://profile.yahoo.com/QX6XGCI5AOYGJY2XJ47NHKJFJY ND_the chosen 1

But who is the father of Sen. Estrada? What kind of father he has? How was he brought up?

regd

I resent this woman so much that I sometimes want to throw myself in front of any speeding bus in EDSA but for the love of God, she is absolutely spot on this time!

ODAPAIN

if indeed most are uneducated in voting for there lawmakers,then lawmakers who take advantage of this are the worst kind of politicians,so we all get the most corrupt kind of public service.And senator Miriam forgot that some who not schooled have wisdom to ,they vote for actors cause they are sick and tired of political dynasties,trapos and the like.If she helps pass the anti dynasty bill thats half the job done.

blowcoldblowhot

Remember the uneducated also pays their taxes.

http://profile.yahoo.com/BV6DWTSUHKJGFANJJ5P3WPPTQM Paul

and the educated (politicians) spend them.

blowcoldblowhot

Why deny them their rights of suffrage. What Santiago is advocating is creating a divided country, between the rich and the poor, the educated and uneducated, special privilege for the educated and uneducated. She was lucky, she got educated, that’s why she is telling all these things. What if she belongs to the uneducated?

speedstream2

Isn’t it in the best interest of pols (and scammers) that people are ill-informed and constantly distracted? And could it also be that our brains are getting fried at a faster rate with the deluge of electronic gadgets even as we are bombarded 24/7 with inane entertainment fare? It seems that the capacity to discern intelligently, or the ability to separate the wheat from the grain, is inversely proportional to the rate of progress and level of materialism.

AlexanderAmproz

Well said

boyod

I agree to the view elucidated by Sen Santiago before the FEU students, but what happen when Gloria Arroyo became our president for the past 9 horrifying years and she is an economist, an educated one. What about that maam.

http://twitter.com/neps365 Prince Neps

Gloria was a wrong choice and her time was a curse to many Pinoys. I think Miriam’s point is for the voters to choose educated politicians who have moral convictions.

http://profile.yahoo.com/AU5VJ6TNWH5NNYZHVNW5VXXXZQ Arizona

what senator santiago is explaining is exactly what greek philosophers observed years before christ, mob mentality is not good for democracy. the mob doesnt know anything about politics. palakpakan para kay sen. santiago! :D

AlexanderAmproz

To plagiarize the Greek is already a reassuring education sign.

victor1052

Santiago is absolutely right! But she failed to mention those who had an education but are not educated, like pangilinan and lina. We are plaqued by bad, dumb, selfish and criminal politicians voted into office by dumb voters. And the rest of the population including the dumb voters suffer.

spider69

for the very first time, sangayon ako dito kay Sen. Mirriam Santiago.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_P23HGCHYGSRY4WV263EP7KOQVE jo

ako din!

vince_bugaboo

As long as there’s this unabated corruption practices by some government leaders, which mainly cause and extreme poverty in the Philippines, there will always be millions of “Sardinas Crowd” who will vote for undeserved candidates like the above-mentioned former actors, to name a few of unqualified political (pork barrel) aspirants who have become nowadays more rampant than ever. To become intelligent voters is the least of the problems or preoccupations of the Sardinas crowd; their livelihood (next meal) comes first. So they put those in elective offices who could supply them abundantly of tangible everyday amenities, and to h-^£!–ll! witjh what would happen to the country tomorrow or next year! Why should they care who runs the government when they are preoccupied in finding the next meal? So then they vote those who feed them partially and momentarily, and these “winners” lead the corruption and aggrandizement as long as they can while the sardinas crowd wallows in poverty and has no interest how to vote intelligently, and so forth and so on!

So we are stuck in a perpetual merry-go round!

http://profile.yahoo.com/U5XZ7DG3V4IM5BX3ZX5GTPDTU4 cane-juice

Un-educated serving in government “is what ails the Philippine body politic”…, is partly true.
“Corruption in Government” is still the MAIN CAUSE of what ails the Philippines.-

Fire Lion

corruption alone is the main cause of an ailing Philippines? really now.. I don’t think so! corruption coupled with uneducated people lurking and venturing into Philippine politics as a way to get rich fast is the the REAL problem that we have. corruption is just the outcome and residual effect of this moronic thinking. instill discipline and encourage at least a set of minimum requirements for people wanting to be part of the political system while also tightening and making the punishment for government officials stealing from the nation’s coffers severe.

the electoral system was corrupted.. not by the poor, uneducated people but those who run for office…

jeffrey_01

another dumb donkey. doesn’t necessarily mean with bachelors degree.

Fulpol

college graduate- minimum requirement for candidate?

Marcos is a UP Law graduate… Arroyo is a UP PhD graduate…

pangitbudhiko

WHAT ABOUT ABNOY?

http://profile.yahoo.com/QX6XGCI5AOYGJY2XJ47NHKJFJY ND_the chosen 1

They are not afraid to sin.

http://profile.yahoo.com/BV6DWTSUHKJGFANJJ5P3WPPTQM Paul

Brenda is……

jeffrey_01

the can lead, but got greedy.

12JEM

“A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.”

―
Theodore Roosevelt

Free election of masters does not abolish the masters or the slaves.”
― Herbert Marcuse

nti_boohaya

According to the most educated senator bordering_________ (you fill in the blank), the “not educated for voting” are choosing from those who are “not educated for serving.” Nobody in this world is born with inate knowledge of what’s required to choose a leader or lead the people. Yes, we live in a democracy but we don’t have that much choice when only the likes of Miriam Defensor, Andal Ampatuan, Lito Lapid, Joseph Estrada, and others who are “educated for serving” are on the ballots. Blair of England did not have the “education” that Defensor had. As an “educated to serve” senator, what has Defensor done for the country lately? It’s the combination of knowledge learned from formal deducation to schoos of hard knocks that define the character and form the leadership abilities of our leaders. Next punch line, please, madamme senator.

pangitbudhiko

dude please don’t make any comment if you don’t know anything “”BLAIR was educated at Fettes college SA elementary school, then he attended Oxford University graduated with a second class honor with BA Jurisprudence.. HE WAS AN EDUCATED LAWYER, WAG NAMAN MAGBIBIGAY NG COMMENT KUNG HINDI MO ALAM ANG PUNUT DULO, PLEASE.

jeffrey_01

serve-by-example opinion is shot in the dark.

jeffrey_01

I like her bills in the senate. She is always right on the point. I don’t really like some of her pick up lines.

mund_gulid1994

very nice and indeed true analysis, madam senator! amend the Phil. Constitution to suit the country towards the current century and onwards…..

http://www.facebook.com/oustcorona ILL_HIT_YOUR_FACE

Its not a matter of un-education among the voters,

but blame it on the politicians themselves dahil sila itong may
kakayan may pera at kapangyarihan. leadership is supposedly a responsibility.

but what happened was the lack of principles among the politicians, lack of core values.
– Mga opportunista kasi! Kakapal nang mukha!

Sa Partido pa lang sana sinasala na yang mga kandidato!

jeffrey_01

politicians don’t care. politics is a lucrative business. why do you think actors and even our millionaire boxer Pacquiao run for elected office? To have a continue flow of funds from pork barrel. Public service? Pweeeeee.

Good hit Sen. Santiago. In our barangay, our barangay captain is not productive and cannot fully take care of the duties of his elected post. Why? he works full time in a hardware store and just passes of the job to his kins and kagawads. No projects, no improvement, no nothing. now, where is the barangay budget going? The current thinking of people in our area would be: “mabuti na ang bobo kesa sa matalinong magnanakaw”, however, what if the “bobo” is now the “magnanakaw”? where else do you put your trust to?

basilionisisa

True… the democratic vision of “one person, one vote, one value” during elections is overrated.

but how or what criteria determine the ‘borderline moron’? and who decides one has a ‘heavier’ vote than the other? Impossible! more a problem than a solution.

democracy is Democracy! every one has equal right to vote as to be voted! every one has equal right to choose. i don’t think any amendment can and should change THAT in the Constitution, in any country except the totalitarian ones.

the good side with ‘these borderline morons’ electing fellow morons into office is: ‘these elected morons’ sometimes become the conscience to purge the intellectually superior but morally corrupt officials. THAT is enough good reason for the ‘morons’ to be allowed to vote.

jeffrey_01

reform the Election process. there should be a televise debate.

divictes

Just because you can afford to buy a saw and a hammer will make you a good carpenter; intelligence and integrity won’t be guaranteed by a diploma.

pangitbudhiko

buying a saw and a hammer, makes the difference.

basilionisisa

knowledge of what to do with them is even better.

jeffrey_01

at least you will start to know how to saw and hammer without hitting you fingers.

UrHONOR

>>>Santiago: Most voters, leaders not educated<<<

IF by UNEDUCATED she is referring to those other than she is, then I'd rather be in the other than with her.

jeffrey_01

You’re another dumb donkey. Why don’t you do civic service to educate people how to vote and who not to vote and why.

UrHONOR

AW-EE, aw-ee, papa!

They call you DUMBER for nuttin’ papa!

tra6Gpeche

Mrs. Miriam Santiago, this time, really makes sense. How could there be educated Filipino voters when so many Filipinos are poor, if not very poor, and did not even had a chance to finish grammar school. Many of them are from squatters’ area and some, if not many of them, even become criminals. Just look around and outside Metro Manila. Many young children are begging and walking on the streets very hungry. They never have a chance to be in any public school. What do you think of what they would become when they become adult… that is if they are lucky (or unlucky) to reach their adulthood. For those elected officials, most of them are spoiled children of rich families and do not have any inkling of the meaning of hard and honest work. They know nothing about serving their countrymen. These elected officials’ inclination is to look down on miserable and poor Filipinos. They never learn how to respect those Filipinos languishing in poverty. To them, these Filipinos are nothing but ignorant, lazy, powerless unlike them. The proof is that these politicians always bribe or intimidate or even kill the electorate during election time. They will even cheat the result of the election just to get the coveted position.

jeffrey_01

Politicians want the 99% to remain poor. Easy for them to manipulate and bought out.

I like Sen. Santiago view but can only be true in an ideal world. Brenda is a very smart woman but sometimes lacks common sense. It is true that the critical mass is our society is very low in percentage in our population and many of the intellects are working outside the country. The gap between rich and poor in this country is just too wide. When GMA was elected as president I was jubilant for I thought she would put the country back on track but she only gave us a false hope and shame. Who knows we could have been better if FPJ became president. Now Noynoy is another bet for our country, will he deliver our expectations?

BIGButo

This senator is nuts she should be kicked out of office her job is to get the government to help educate people not try to take away a persons right to vote. She doesn’t deserve to be in office

She missed the point again. The problem here is uninformed voters, not uneducated ones. If the voters are well informed about who should they be voting for, on the basis of the candidates’ intellect/qualifications etc., then a qualified winner is imminent.

The voters need to be informed of the importance of voting for the most qualified and morally attuned candidates.

Do you think the voters need to be a college graduate to be able to tell the difference between good and bad politicians?

Sobra kang mang-lait Mrs Santiago as if your parents or ancestors were educated and professionally qualified.

Just because you had the opportunities to get a decent education, does not give you the right to criticise the common tao.

YOU SHOULD instead, blabbering on the soap boxes, do something about the plights of the voters.

http://profile.yahoo.com/QX6XGCI5AOYGJY2XJ47NHKJFJY ND_the chosen 1

I now what Sen. Santaigo stated hurts but it is true.
Just look at what kind of elected officials we have.

jeffrey_01

You’re a dummb donkey. Educated doesn’t necessarily a higher education with degrees, bachelors or masters. Educated in the Election process, educated in the candidates profiles. The platform of each candidates. Educated in the consequence of selling the vote. Educated why a candidate wants to run for the elected position. Educated in a sense that the candidate is qualified for that position, clean, and with achievable goal to serve the people.

ano ikaw

You moron. Read the article again. Read the context IDIOT. Did you read it? You don’t know how to read? Low life. BUUGGGGOK!

ano ikaw

And by the way, quoting from some British philosophers does not make you sound intelligent Mrs Santiago. So please, don’t be a copy cat. We are an Asian nation not a Western one.

There is a huge difference in demographic and social perspectives, between two cultures.

jeffrey_01

No difference, we copied the form of government from the Europeans. So don’t be so smart.

ano ikaw

What we copied the form of govt from the Europeans??? Ano kamo??? HOY ang BOBO MO!!!!! I suggest that you don’t reply to my postings. Nakakahiya ka. BOBO!

pangitbudhiko

””’ONE OF THE PENALTIES FOR REFUSING TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS IS THAT YOU END UP BEING GOVERNED BY YOUR INFERIOR””””***plato””””, so as merriam has said its the pinoy voters who suffer the consequence

She sounds very arrogant and like a superior being to me just because she graduated from UP and she is a Senator. Hell no! She is just like everybody else nagtatae sa inodoro and someday she will die. Filipinos are not dumb although the way they think is brought about by poverty and “bahala system na”. She will someday realize that Filipinos regardless of their educational attainment are reliable and trustworthy beyond intelligence.

jeffrey_01

She’s telling the hard truth.

les21reago

And to THINKING these UNEDUCATED VOTERS are the MOST problematic to the Government WHOM these UNEDUCATED legislators GOING to be SERVED…

july13a

She should study the psyche of the Philippine society instead of looking it in a superficial way. She says things without thinking. That is bobo to the max.

jeffrey_01

its not a superficial way. that’s reality, leave your high chair and walk the walk and don’t just keep tell us with your bookish opinion.

About a decade ago, Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore once proposed that the electoral votes of better-educated citizens should be given more weight in a point-system election. That proposal may still not work in the Philippines as the well educated are vastly outnumbered.

jeffrey_01

Thumbs up Sen. Santiago. You nailed it right in the head. Don’t forget to hammer the Anti Political Dynasties too.

As I have been saying all along that the quality of the leaders is the result of the quality of the led. Kung bobo ang isang nanalo, natural na mas bobo yung mga bumoto.

http://profile.yahoo.com/JC4FZSEBGFSRT26VSKEH674XNU Estong

I agree with Senator Santiago, she has a good points and the lawmakers should study her suggestions and file appropriate bill for it. It help our nation greatly.

captainramius

Amending the many flaws of our 1987 constitution is long overdue . The world is changing we cannot forever be clinging to the past practices that we know is not working . One of them is the right to vote , this system has done nothing good to our people but put them in poverty for decades. Aside from decades and decades of poverty and corruption there are obvious signs where in the world can you find that the news of a sitting senator Bong Revilla signinghhis tv conttractis more popular than his work as a sen

captainramius

We need bold leaders, to make game changing changes in this country. Amend the constitution change the electoral process hindi na pwede itong bulok na sistema. End poverty

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CRBW2RJR4WNWVIDZVSCLFQK4KQ Spike

Finally someone who has the guts to say what is right. Most Filipinos are stupid and thus they get the leaders they deserve. Worthless Leaders/politicians like ERAP, JINGGOY, CAYETANO, LAPID, SOTTO, REVILLA, and many more.

STOP the insanity stop political dynasties!

feargo

but the educated, the rich – they don’t vote!

boybakal

Ms.Santiago is misleading.
She talks of educated and uneducated voters and leaders….does it mean school educated or election education.
I think it would be appropriate to say, people are not intelligent or smart voters.
One maybe educated but does not know at all.
As we all know our education system focuses on spelling and grammar as well as beautiful writings and memorization.
No skill, expression, imagination training. Only a diploma of spelling and grammar is what is learned.
As long as the leaders are not intelligent and smart, we have voters that are not so smart too, meaning dumb and dumber voters.

JC Mendoza

Then that’s not real education you’re referring to. True education implies competent knowledge in the sciences and the humanities, civics, ethics, and history. A truly educated person endeavors mightily to have all the facts, the proven facts, before making a decision. There are many schools in the country, yes, but which of them really educate their students? The Senator’s statements are as much a critique on our educational system as they are on society itself. Quirky though she may be, I’d rather have her in the Senate than those actors.

branlem

very very worrisome..but hey who produces a lot of uninformed voters? its our system, our government…so I guess it’s another chicken and egg thing huh…well..some say we’re better off with a counsel of elders who are incorruptible and much imbued with wisdom who will appoint leaders…

Stuubs

Both the candidates and the electorates are politically uneducated and immature in this country.We have candidates that are mostly corrupt, running for public office just for their own self interests, with no high moral and ethical standards, and only trying to perpetuate their family into public office.And we have the electorates,who are more inclined to vote based on popularity and the stereotype,instead of the real issues,never weight which candidate are more qualified and trustworthy. Can be easily swayed emotionally by a mere political propaganda and gimmickry !..on top of that, we have a group of voters that are just as equally corrupt as the candidites—the so called “hakot voters”,who are willing to sell their votes for cash or food packages..the list goes on, and there is no sign of hope that both politicians and the electorate are willing to end it. This is the current sad state of our political proccess in our country,that both politicians and electorate must need to address.

GlenMJacob

The country has the laws to deal with this perennial election menace of vote buying. The problem is the implementation. There are laws to get rid of the corrupt public officials but the agencies task to implement the laws are themselves corrupt. The Philippine needs an independent incorruptible person to lead the NBI so that corrupt politicians are put we’re they belong – behind bars. If we have good investigators and enforcers of the law – the likes of the FBI in the US of A I believe politicians will be having second thoughts.

kilabot

except for her support for rhbill and sinbill, miriam is icc-caliber on target.
as a consequence of voter flaw, the philippines is now the servant of the world; 25% increase in hiv/aids victims due to anal_ysis; increase incidence of poverty; crime upsurge; etc.
she should just sacrifice her icc ambitions and stay here to help educate the ignorant, immature, and illiterate electorates. the pinoy majority will surely appreciate that.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3RMNEZCQQHXWOQRXJROQ2CORFU Homer Guo

I couldn’t agree more, miriam

romeyo chill

I appreciate Sen. Santiago for speaking boldly and straight to the point. However, I think she’s missing the fact that there are also uneducated persons who are even more learned and intelligent than those who finished college degrees. Review the profile of our high-ranking government officials and you can see that most of them graduated with honors in the most prestigious universities. But our country remains like this. Maybe, this is not all about education. There are other factors.

angie669

I firmly agree with Senator Miriam Santiago. There are lots of candidates that are very much qualified– talented, sincere, conscientious, and have the intention to work for the good of the country, they may also be honest. But the people, they may be poor or uneducated, ( there are also educated but crook minded), who vote for the same crook politicians– politicians who have no conscience and are not patriots, all they do is for their self interest. They work a little to show the people that they do something, often to impress but not really impressive. And the poor, manipulated people believe these demons. Largely this is the fault of the voters who cannot determine who should be installed as their leader, and the politicians who take advantage of these (either ignorant or innocent) people. The root cause is so hard to remove the politicians have taken root of. The mentality of the Filipino must change. Even president Pnoy alone can’t do this. He can’t see and change what is happening far around him. The media as a tool, is supposed to help in thisl. They can start by rating the politicians of their work and publish in the newspapers regularly. The long term solution is that it should start from our home. From childhood.. How we are to be raised as good citizens. One problem is that these evil politicians are not good examples to their children. Their children know that their father or mother is corrupt but it seems normal to them because this very parent showed it normally that it is okey to steal. What happens is that because of self interest, these politicians’ work of service to the people is not anymore their priority. Their priority is to enrich themselves thus leave the people suffering and the country left behind by other developed or developing countries. There are lots of things to be said and done and it is so tiring and nobody listens to these predicaments…

The senator and her PR/media group now trying to patched up with the
students and educated people for her failures and embarrassment actions made during
the SC impeachment trial. Remember, the feisty senator was also tight-lipped
during GMA corruption decade.

Educated Filipinos won’t bite her latest brohaha-ha. Her proposals
require the amendment of the Philippine Constitution.

u r imagining things a s h o le impeachment case against corona was political and never based their decisions on laws.senatongs decided that on the merit of abnoys pabagsak for pork barrel . it will be the dirtiest and the worst impeachment we ever had

Fulpol

uneducated voters? what is your definition?

accdg. to technical definition- with college degrees.

accdg. cognitive and analytical definition – good in discriminating what is good from bad, what is better from good..

if majority of the voters have no college degrees, do they also possessed low cognitive and analytical skills?

how about the members of Iglesia ni Cristo? are the majority, college graduate or are the majority possessed high cognitive and analytical skills? or they are good in obeying and submitting their freedom to choice to their cult leader?

idiot Pilipinos, the Philippine electoral system was played by political and electoral corruption… and not whether the voters are educated or not, or they possessed high or low cognitive and analytical skills…

idiot Pilipinos… political corruption is the one that determines the electoral atmosphere of the Philippines..

who are the purveyors of political corruption? not the voters… the corrupt candidates, the political dynasty…

Maybe we need a lot of educated people who can dictate who to vote for and this includes negative campaigning to those who doesn’t deserve to be elected.

Fulpol

the are only three choices Miriam:

1. change your political system or form of government
2. kill political dynasty, the purveyor of political corruption
3. kill monetary incentives as reason in running for public office

your corrupt candidates, corrupted the poor… and not the other way around… corruption has nothing to do with education… if your definition of educated people have college degrees..

boldyak

kung educated ang voters they can not be corrupted and vote for those who are not corrupt…

eirons1043

Before she was cheated by FVR in the Presidential election, Miriam is full of noble and patriotic aura so that the voting youth at that time and even Cardinal Sin were on her side. I cannot forget her items on Gadfly. I said cheated by FVR because his votes increased only in Mindanao and with JPE on his side, Miriam is a sitting duck ten times over. Since that cheating, Miriams words has been full of intellectual and textbook tyranny perorating that if you are not a UP graduate, a lawyer, a former judge, a senator your cerebral capacity is below normal and should not open your mouth in any subject that she is talking about. The worst is when she sided with Corona in the impeachment trial inspite of overhwelming evidence against him using technicalities of the Rules of Court. I will close my eyes and pretend that she did not side with GMAs obvious and in your face corruptions. Lastly, if we were to follow her logic on intellectual requirements, the judicial system of the United States is very wrong because of the Jury System where ordinary persons sits in judgment of persons of high intellect, power and wealth.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1501786103 Will Rey

If Senator Santiago listens to a recording of her speech to the FEW students and looks at herself in the mirror, perhaps she will find out that a “talking dummy” sounds and looks just like Santiago. The literacy rate in the Philippines is estimated at 86%. The remaining 24% do not form a monolithic voting block to vote for “talking dummies” to represent them. Many of them do not even vote, and those who do perhaps voted to put her in the Senate to look after their interest. To suggest that poor, uneducated Filipinos are “not educated for voting” is demeaning to the poor, and to further suggest that some of their elected high government officials are “talking dummies” is downright insulting to her colleagues to whom she presumably is alluding. To suggest further that borderline morons, voters or elected officials, are responsible for what ails the body politic is absurd. The poor, downtrodden, uneducated poor have never been known to make a living by engaging in pangungurakot at pagnanakaw. It takes a special kind of intelligence and education, the kind that government officials have been known to possess, to grab hold of government loot and get away with it.

boldyak

sige boto nyo artista…haha

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1501786103 Will Rey

No artista, no matter what his educational qualifications may be, can be elected into office without the support of the literate 86% of the population. “Borderline morons” is a demeaning, clinical term. So are “not fit for voting” or “not fit for serving.” Senator Santiago’s choice of words is over the top and uncalled for. It makes Senator Santiago sound flighty, elitist, and even off her rocker. Senator Santiago is admittedly a highly educated woman who is talking like a moron.

http://ourleftfoot.blogspot.com/ Tristanism

So let’s leave the voting to those who are intelligent. Let’s see.

Mirriam chose Kit Tatad, a marcos crony, as her vice presidential candidate when she ran for president in 1998. And then she allied herself with Erap (convicted plunderer), after that she rubbed elbows with GMA (alleged plunderer).

Mukang maayos naman palang pumili si Manang e. Antaas ng IQ e.

Fulpol

the SEED of CORRUPTION started from the political candidates running for public office.. it did not emerge from the voters..

the SEED of CORRUPTION flourished in political dynasty…

but the idiot Pilipinos blamed the voters, blamed the uneducated voters.. and those idiot Pilipinos called themselves educated, intelligent… shame.

boldyak

kung ang mga voters educated nobody can exploit them….

Fulpol

you can see how these so called educated, intelligent Pilipinos degrade and insult the poor and uneducated… as if these poor people are the purveyor of electoral stupidity..

where was the SEED of CORRUPTION in electoral and political started? not from the poor, uneducated voters.. but from those political candidates running for public office..

and this SEED of CORRUPTION flourished in political dynasty… and they are corrupting the electoral system, which the poor are the most vulnerable, never mind those religious cults voting in block.

idiot Pilipinos pretend to be intelligent and educated… insulting the poor… pweeeeehhh… and to Miriam… waaaaaaahhhhhh…

John_Galt_II

Well……. Guess who ran the country to the ground.
The educated Marcos and his educated cabinet officials
The educated Arroyo and her educated cabinet officials. By the way, who put Arroyo in office? oh yeah right the educated politicians and educated Chief Justice Davide.
The slightly educated Erap and his cabinet officials.
The biggest thieves?
The educated PMA Generals. And to think that their education was from taxpayers money.
Who is the first Chief Justice to be booted out of office?
The highly educated Corona. Oh and Miriam wanted him acquited.
Ang magnanakaw kahit na ano ang antas ng education magnanakaw pa rin!
Oh and Miriam di ba yung asawa mo na dating custom pulis lang naging custom commissioner. Is it because of his education? At yung bahay niyo sa La Vista, were you able to acquire it because of your education or because of your political connections?
At sino sa palagay mo ang pinaka masamang tao at kinamumuhian sa Pilipinas? hindi ba yung mga “educated” politicians? or at least pretending to be educated.

not trying to insult the uneducated here… but voters do have the choice to inform themselves better before they make their choices at the polls… unfortunately, the vast majority of voters are too lazy to seriously think about who they vote and simply rely on personalities… haaaaay!

Start streamlining the political system in this country. Voters and candidates should have reach college or vocational course. No more to people who are illiterate and doesn’t know what is going on in the country.

No to Political Dynasty!!! Start the signature campaign!

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_RVM6GTPCJHWSUO2WSOIAT3ZCGA ENER

If you’re really against political dynasty, don’t wait for somebody else to start the signature campaign. Start it yourself.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Riz-Manas/1414555877 Riz Manas

I agree with Senator Santiago on her views on “uneducated voters” and “uneducated leaders”

kayanatwo

24nov2012

nobody asked me, but…the problem we have a failed political and judicial systems are because of those in the know (the educated i.e. m.d.santiago) who knew on how to find the loopholes in the law which (t)hey exploited for their own advantage and self preservation of status quo. the less educated juan dela cruz are being used exploited and coerced to vote by the educated elite (trapos) to ensure his election for the govt. post.

correct me if i am wrong sen. m.d. santiago, most of those that do bad things for our govt.- i.e. corruption, malversation, financial fraud, and tax evasion – are the educated elite like you.

It might take awhile but the people will mature politically. Last presidential election is proof that the likes of Erap do not have the clout that they previously had. Even though there are still showbiz personalities that manage to win, it will eventually work against them if those that are elected do not perform. The “free market” will eventually work. There is no need for further regulating the political system and exclude uneducated voters. Just like anybody else they too pay their taxes.

“Santiago: Most voters, leaders not educated” that is what most of you politicians wanted…. have we been educated as you are, do you think i will even consider you?come on , educate us and that will be the end of your political career….

louie

ironic. by the things you wrote, obviously you don’t want santiago but you refer yourself as “uneducated” so you still consider her? magulo.

Definitely a slap in the face of Binay who endorses “Vox Populi” as his reason for being and his continued step towards a political dynasty of his family and friends.

We deserve the government we have and get.
A collection of educated and uneducated unconscionable morons who instead of governing for the greater good of all, steal and rob us all blind our national wealth.

Guest

that is a fact!

louie

for the voters, i think it’s hard to implement a criteria about educational background since it will impede a basic right though it is also their basic right to have free education. But in the case of public officials, there should be a minimum requirement of high school diploma and additional college units that specifically teaches public service.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_OHOD5EA75DBBUH53UKLRXRK764 Mang Teban

It is the greatest entertainment these days. Ex-future ICC justice Miriam Santiago is the jester of the Senate. The clown who reminds me of Joker in the Batman series. Dramatic, cunning, funny, and devious.

She tries her best to extricate from the label of “traditional politician” who dresses like a distinguished lawmaker in the hallow chambers of Higher House of Congress but, in reality, works only for the 200 million-peso annual pork barrel and for the exclusive privileges of having multiple sidelines and cannot be charged of libel. But, let us ask ourselves – Who is the senator who tells lies, accepts bribes, fabricates stories, uses esoteric language, bamboozles invited persons or to a hearing “in aid of legislation” or beleaguered witnesses during an impeachment trial?

Suddenly, she has found a strategy to shift the attention of the people when she organizes assemblies to mesmerize the youth with crowd-drawing pickup lines “plagiarized” from the social networks, flaunts her apparent “doctoral qualification in theology” but attacks the Catholic clergy for their “ignorance”, misinterprets Papal actions and statements to justify her flawed logic on contraception in defense of the RH bill, and now hypothesizes that being unschooled is a no-no to being a discriminating voter and being a model public servant?
She is running out of ideas to keep her fans want more. It will be a big laugh if she stays on at the Senate because the ICC has changed its mind about bringing her in.

About her hypothesis, it is an absolute insult to the “uneducated voters”. The winners in the past national and local elections cannot be said to be a majority vote of non-thinking voters. It is of three things:
(1) Political dynasty – not much choice for voters as well-entrenched members of one family are running in the elections.
(2) Inadequate controls during the canvassing of votes by the COMELEC, and
(3) Patronage politics – political parties control the selection of candidates who can ensure special favors and accommodations from party leaders.

Unless these aforementioned three factors are removed from the electoral system, we can never have a fool-proof elections. Our country deserves to have the right people in government service. The framers of our Philippine Constitution know better than this myopic self-righteous lady senator. Scram, Miriam!

How about the influence of religion on the voters? We have a sect whose members just follow the choices of their elders, while another sect that does not pay taxes yet exerts too much influence on the voters and politicians alike.

With regards to popularity, what we got is a sitting senator who is a comedian, plagiarist, lying thief and could even be held liable for the rape of a former starlet.

Ibongpipit

This is one speech that Sen. Miriam Santiago should be hailed a great educator senator. We are at where we are because a great lot of voters hardly know who they are. The speech speaks a lot more than what it says and to everyone specially those who can merely know how to read and write, the literate people. Great speech Senator Santiago, voters probably need to be at par in education with our national police. If they their job is for peacemaking, a voter’s job mean so much more, nation building.

buttones

Senator Santiago does have a point regarding both the electorate and the elected. On the electorate the ’qualifications’ are fairly basic, common in many a democracy, I’m not too sure about ’borderline morons’ [assuming she refers to the electorate, it could also apply equally to some of the elected] but unless these people are certifiable then they have a right to vote, we cannot take this away.
Regarding ’education’ of the electorate well we are supposed to have a reasonable education system that churns out at High school level at least, a fairly good ’product’, this has proved not to be so, and cannot be so given the teacher student ratios, the infrastructure generally, despite enormous sums of money spent- they say this will improve, given the 15 year time line we shall have to wait and see.
But, in regard to democracy and political science generally is this part of the state curriculum? Education is supposed to teach people how to think, rational thought, and forever a questioning attitude, the question of “why” should be on every students lips- I doubt it is.
Qualifications of voters are mentioned, but is equally bizarre that people elected to the House, and indeed to the very Presidency require no formal qualifications at all, the appointed head of a large company has to have qualifications, the head of the biggest ‘company’, PH, has to have non at all… Yes this could be changed, by changing our Constitution but being inviolate anyway, and given the fact that the people who might change it would be committing political suicide it simply is not going to happen.
So we are back to education, remembering that we are a baby democracy, we have a long way to go yet, 67 years is nether here nor there……the ghosts of feudal, theocratic rule are still with us and the landless peasant will still vote for his ‘master’, or the ‘action hero’ he sees on the screen, it’s just the way it is really…No it clearly doesn’t work, it always ends up as a disaster but what to do?

In the case of candidates that voters choose only because they are the ones they see in movies or on TV, Santiago said the voters are only applying “a visual test to candidates.” – TOTALLY TRUE…..SEN. SANTIAGO PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PO MADAM. NAKASAWA NA PO KASI KAYA HINDI TAYO MAKABUO NG ISANG SOLID AT MATINONG SENADO AT CONGRESS. KAYA HINDI PO TAYO UMUNLAD.

The problem goes deeper than that. We’re all brought up to think that one-man-one-vote system is the fairest of them all. Kahit nga mga think tanks sa US aminado na their society and the widening gap in education in the US makes one-man-one-vote a bad idea. Unless we correct that notion na lahat dapat makaboto, kahit artista ang iboboto, masasayang lang ang Pinas sa ganung sistema.

Please vote wisely.. NO TO Dynasty… We have to be intelligent to vote. NO VOTE BUYING pls…

Alfred

Hehehehehehe,.. what can you do Madam Senator,… we the “Bovoters” are the majority in this yellow country ;)

johndcross1

“Santiago has four colleagues in the Senate who were actors before they became senators: Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Majority Leader Tito Sotto and Senators Bong Revilla Jr. and Lito Lapid, the latter two being huge action stars.”
Senator Santiago you really hit the nail on the head. This is what is wrong with our electoral processes. We have the likes of senators mentioned above who are to say mildly are “useless”. Our selection process & minimum qualification of candidates must be overwhelmingly changed if we are to have qualified & intelligent individuals running the government. We don’t want the likes of Erap, Revilla, Lapid, Sotto & other congressmen who’s performance are sub-standard. My vote could not be equaled against the vote of an uneducated who doesn’t understand the basic operation of government. Let us amend the constitution!!!!!! How about only high school graduates can vote and only college graduates can run for office. Those running for congress, senate, Vice Pres. & President must participate in a debate in English & Tagalog.

RomyLitz

Votes should be classified as college graduates, high school and elementary. They should have different values in counting for the winner. On the other hand COMELEC should or the congress should pass a law that a candidate for at least Baranggay captain must be a college graduate and for congressmen and senators they should have finished a masters degree. This will make the leadership competition to be joined by the best and the brightest only. That is still democracy if the congress will pass it into a law.

If Miriam Defensor Santiago can’t find a word about what she just said, it’s what I would call “INEPTOCRACY” ! There’s a new word for you Miriam.

Istirero

If Miriam Defensor-Santiago doesn’t know the appropriate word for what she just said about the uneducated voters and uneducated leaders, it’s the alternative system to democracy that I would call “INEPTOCRACY” ! :-)

Value Added Tax (VAT) is different from Income Tax which is what KNP meant. VAT which is a “consumption tax” only applies to goods people “want”, unlike income tax which apply to what people “earn”. Many Filipinos have earnings below what BIR consider as “taxable income”. That’s the reason why they are exempted from taxation, ergo, they don’t pay tax.

henri_see

Santiago said the “greater majority” of the country’s 50 million voters who will troop to the precincts in May “are not intelligent … not educated for voting.”
— And she’s one of the beneficiaries. What’s she complaining about?

JasminCubacub

you mean she is definitely the choice of the people, even those of the uneducated class.. she doesn’t need to buy their votes or cheat in the election in order to win!

Philcruz

Miriam can be very sane and logical when she wants to. She wonders why a policeman needs to have a college degree but the same requirement is not imposed on those aspiring to become senators and congressmen. This simply means that policemen are more educated than some of our lawmakers.

But then again she mentioned we are a representative democracy. Does that mean that the majority of the people who are not educated should be represented by their own uneducated representatives?

JasminCubacub

Democracy is representation of, by and for the PEOPLE. If MIRRIAM thought that the people should elect only only those of their own qualifications, then, she would not have lamented about the fact that there are uneducated leaders. Ganyan ng sinabi nya, nah uneducated voters elect uneducated leaders, kasi ayao niya siguro sabihin nah binayaran lang sila para sa boto! Totoo na man ah..

henri_see

The issue is not education, it’s moral eptitude.
Marcos was the smartest of them all, but what has he done. Ditto Gloria. Meanwhile, there’s Magsaysay, and Robredo, average intelligence like you and me, but boy, they rocked while in office.

ApoNiLolo

You may be right about Marcos and Gloria, but who voted these people into office?

JosengSisiw1

Why is this Diva Mirriam complaining now when these are the products of the government incompetence which she has been a part for so long as I remember. She just talk loud (which she really loves) and blame others when she should be pulling here hair, banging her head & scolding herself for helping plunging this nation to what we are in now.

JasminCubacub

Mirriam talks about the majority of which she is not a part.. exception siya!

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has shown here that she can also speak sensibly and seriously.

In ancient Greece where democracy saw its birth, it is said that electors came from the select few who were enlightened by the views of philosophers.

While it is not right to generalize that “all Filipino voters are dumb and stupid,” the results of several elections where many candidates who are “dumb and stupid,” got elected by people who lacked the intelligence to select the right candidates. This is because these aspirants just satisfy the simple qualifications such as citizenship and residency requirements but are enormously popular among the ill-informed masses though they lack the necessary educational attainment the jobs they vied for demand.

Thus we end up being headed by those who are not qualified to lead and who render us a great disservice.

RomyLitz

The US also uses the Electoral College, 270 votes our of maximum 538. That’s right not all votes are equal, the moron if possible should not be allowed to vote.

mangtom

Dapat din kunin ang SALN nitong mga taong nanalo ng election or appointed to office. First, when they are sworn into office and then at the end of their term, from barangay captian up to the presidential candidate.

ardong

Bulls eye! That’s simply a great piece of rejoinder before this 2013 election. We must admit, it’s a problem of modern democracy – “epalism” riders of controversial issues for political mileage, inability to speak their minds, (like Sotto who rob ideas) and worse, corrupt leaders whose business in the House, Senate and local government is to pocket millions of kickbacks, under-the-table transactions and pouring pork barrel into their bank accounts. Most of them simply exist. They don’t have ability to rule or promulgate laws of the land. They just attend sessions just for a show. This is how gloomy our system. is Problem is, we cannot free ourselves from this deeply chained system of government.

But intellectual capacity does not also guarantee good governance. I guess it is still the MORAL ASCENDANCY that matters most to make this country take-off from the quagmire of severe decadence.

RomyLitz

I sympathize with Brenda on this issue. A candidate on the other hand must be a college graduate and the voters should be classidfied as either A , or B or C. Those in class A, college graduate, is weighed 2, those B, a high school graduate is weighed 1.0, those not high school graduate level will be weighed 0.5. Those who did not finish elementary will be weighed, 0.1 only. Masters and PH.D graduates should have more weight say 4 and 5 respectively.

ApoNiLolo

Technically, your suggestion make sense. Points may be based on education level so we could accommodate every voter from all walks of life. But in the social context, this is tantamount to discrimination. Imagine the atmosphere in a voting center with several queues; one for each educational attainment, each queue sizing the other. >: D

RomyLitz

Discriminations is a reality or a daily menu that is beyond our control. Mozillo, a black US citizen and a billionaire, was refused entry into a club in Florida because he was told,” Colored not allowed”. Even at home our parents discriminates innocently and guilty of exercising the-first-among-equals treatment of our siblings, or shall we say , playing favorites. Even in our schools, the teachers have hidden discrimination…Going back to voter’s classification, that is still very democratic, although discriminatory, if the senate and congress pass this particular law in election and it will encourage those with lower educational attainment to strive and work hard that their children will be class A voter. If all work and strive to finish school, then in the future it is possible, past forward 50 years, that there will be nothing left in the class B and C. The votes of those knowledgables and intelligents should not be counted equal to those who chose to be idle and lazy or to those who do not know that they really do not know. That’s why we have many governors or congressmen or senators who had a pain-in-the-ass idea of plagiarism and even the passing of RH bill seemed to take an infinity of time.!

ApoNiLolo

May punto ka. It’s a good suggestion as long as Human Rights advocates don’t come after your head. : )

A double edge sword. In the long run, it does not only give value to the “intelligent vote”, it also encourages our citizen to do better by introducing the “shame factor”. >: D

It all boils down to having MORAL. A candidate and a voter can be well educated but if he lacks ethic, decency, righteousness, goodness, honesty, justness and principles, which is what moral is all about, then we, FILIPINOS, will continue to suffer the brunt of a corrupt government run by immoral and corrupt public officials. Learning academically from schools and universities (even Catholic/religious run) does not automatically come with moral values. Greater part of our present society is polluted with dishonest, fraudulent and crooked minds. So, who and where can one turn to, to acquire essential lessons to become a learned and morally driven person? Certainly not from those religious schools! WHY? Look who’s running our legislative bodies now? Mostly are products of prestigious Catholic/Religious educational facilities. We cannot also rely on our elders anymore, for they too have plunged into the lures of wealth and power brought about by corruptions. Our parents are no longer the guides we follow in placing the most qualified candidates in office. Instead they promised our votes, in exchange for a measly P. 500.00, to a shady rotten person, who when elected will certainly embezzle government funds as payments to his investments.

A person with a strong moral character sans education will wisely choose a morally character candidate also, but, a well educated person sans moral values will choose an educated but immoral candidate specially if they come from the same alma mater.

I guess one, on own volition, must yearn moral values as an instrument to discern the right candidates to lead us to prosperity. Otherwise we are doomed, specially now that NARCO-POLITICS is creeping into the various seats of our government.

ApoNiLolo

I can’t hardly call Churchill or Lee Kuan Yew a saint. In a political arena, morality sits on the sideline. A “saint” is a lousy pick to head a nation and I don’t mind a leader’s vice or his “extra curricular” activity outside the office as long as he leads the people to the right direction where his followers want to go.

On the other hand, all I want from the voters is to be able to recognize those leadership “qualities” from a person they are going to elect.

just_anotherperson

To rely on our talents is a cause of great loss. When someone places confidence in his own prudence, knowledge, and intelligence, God, To make him know and see his insufficiency, withdraws from him His help and leaves him to work by himself. This is often why our undertakings miserably fail.
— St. Vincent de Paul

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EDXEVEFHW2ZT5VWHDWBNM6XGE4 RyanE

Father, I guess God gave us free will and wisdom to discover and invent new things for the good of mankind. If we had just relied on your teachings, then perhaps till now we might be thinking that the sun revolves around the earth which is flat, not spherical.

Maid Merriam might be in one of her lucid moments when she made this speech. And I totally agree with her. >: D

Throw out of the window that freakin “Right to suffrage” blah blah blah stuff if nothing “new” comes out of any election. UrHonor was right when he suggested before that only people who pay taxes should be allowed to vote. I think it’s prudent to push it further to suggest that at least a high school graduate who pay taxes should be the prerequisite to vote!

Jesse_Bruce_Pinkman

Well, the more technical term, as what was controversial and Miriam found offensive at the time, was “lucid interval”.

Lucid interval was derived from the periods of lunar cycles when the moon is at its brightest and fullest, and when nocturnal creatures are believed to be animated, mobilized, or transformed by the unexplainable rousing effects of the moonlight.

In legal terms, lucid interval would mean slightly different from the horror context in that it means that a person is in his most sane mindset relative to the other days in a certain cycle, say a crazy person can be calm sometimes but violent during the other days.

Surely, we Filipinos can argue that Miriam can be described by both definitions.

ApoNiLolo

Okay… you explained adequately her famous “mood-swing”. What about her speech? What’s your take regarding the topic? That’s the main issue, isn’t it?

Jesse_Bruce_Pinkman

I was not really interested in her speech as she only worded the obvious.

Your comment about something lucid came to mind and reminded me of the time when then Senator Richard Gordon could not take Miriam’s primadonna and arrogant lashes against her colleagues anymore. Thus came out something offensive.

disqusted0fu

correct! otherwise, we just end up with a leader like Noynoy.

Paliwaweng

Senator Santiago, it would be more fitting and proper, and an act statesmanship if you start a crusade on how to address this malaise.

Addressing this problem and applying a workable solution is better.

And I can suggest one which we already have in hand: The Robredo Formula.

It does not mean to say because the people who supported Gloria are mostly educated people and in your thinking she was the most corrupt in the history of our country you are going to elect a candidate who is in the like of Lito Lapid or any other candidate who are uneducated.

John_Galt_II

You don’t sound educated. Mag tagalog ka para hindi ka mahirapan.

Jesse_Bruce_Pinkman

haha. nahilo nga din ako. di marunong gumamit ng period.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BAILOH47IAC7D2XUDC7AQSSIU4 Wee

I request Senator Miriam to file a bill immediately that requires all qualified voters be high school graduates and those aspiring for senators and congressmen to be college graduates. Im aligned with her views.

The survey “Enlightened Citizenship: How Civic Knowledge Trumps a College Degree in Promoting Active Civic Engagement” shows little evidence that higher educaton does a good job passing along the kind of knowledge that makes for an informed citizenry.

Education is a good thing. But requiring voters and/or candidates to be educated is like asking for the moon not to shine. It is not only EDUCATION, but the QUALITY OF EDUCATION. Even if our government can afford to give all our young people free education, it does not follow that all these people will be “educated”. At present we have college graduates who did not get educated if you know what I mean. We have so many diploma mills!

It is a different matter when we honestly run our elections. Let us start with our candidates. How many candidates for our local and national positions are breaking the law by simply using the palusot system to go around the law against premature campaigning? Alam naman nating lahat na niloloko tayo ng mga kandidatong ito. Dapat lahat ng mga ito ay hindi iboto ng mga botante!

Let us show photos in our dailies who among the candidates are using posters with their pictures and claim that it is not a political campaign but a promotion of a specific “project”. Look at the TV ads of Ex Senator Zubiri who claims that we should all join his campaign for the protection of the environment. Susmariosep! Andidyan pa si Gordon na kunyari kailangan ng tulong ng Red Cross! Look at the posters hanging behind those tricycles! Look at the posters hanging on bus stops! Look all around you and you will see how these politicians are abusing the mental capacity of the Filipino people. Niloloko tayong harap-harapan! Wala naman kadala-dala ang mga tao. Nagpapaloko naman sila.

Even the communists who are supposed to be pro poor, derisively call them “lumpen proletariat”!

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5EUWR6NRE2QWSTJGCL6MEQT3DA Joshua

I agree with you Senator Santiago!.. Mabuhay ka!..Most Filipino voters are DUMBS and MORONS in choosing the next leaders of our government..All votes are not the same…The clause in the Constitution about the minimum requirement to be a voter should be amended..there must be a minimum level of education for a candidate in order to be qualified in order to assure the public that any decision that he/she makes is rational and well thought.

basilionisisa

yabang mo naman! you mean mas higit ang boto mo sa nanay o lola mo? i consider my mother’s vote even if she didn’t even finish the Elementary school (well, yours may be a diploma holder) very much equal to my vote, whoever she chooses.

consider this… i voted for GMA but my ‘moronic’ brother voted for FPJ… looking back now, who do you think chose better? and you want voters to be by-law highly educated.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XY3GGHWDTCKXD3YI5WX2I4RRDY dodo

tama ka jan bro. yabang tong joshua na to

Beguine

OMG, thank God Pinas does not have a Chairman Mao type
persona.

But it’s got Miriam luka luka! And her ilk of incompetent and
just power and money grabbing politicians.

There’s hope because we’re in the e-age and people are
getting much smarter now, contrary to Miriam’s obsolete thinking
and views.

No, there’s no there will be blood situation in the next election,
but likely the e-age will bring a new dawn to more intelligent
and responsible use of suffrage by the people.

If the law also provides for free public education up to high school level, why not make this the mandatory educational requirement for voters? Santiago asked.
“If a person is a borderline moron, why should his vote equal the vote of a college graduate?” she said.—

that’s why we should help Pnoy recover the looted billions not only from GMA but also from Marcos, El Tabako, El Bigote and the generals, where we can teach the corrupts the hard way. then we can begin increasing the budget for health and education and the gov’t , by then have the billions to stimulate the economy to generate or create massive employment.

true we need drastic changes, but who has the authority and the right to say to someone—ok this one is a moron, he can not vote….???

100345roselia

As long as majority of our electorate are not well-informed (lack of education), lives in poverty & can hardly have a meal a day – sad to say – we will continue to produce the kind of politicians we have today may it be local or national. Example on the national level, we have senators like Sotto (majority floor leader – hehehe), Estrada (pro-tempore – hehehe), Revilla & Lapid – actors & the latter could hardly speak english. To compound the problem we have the political dynasty which is about to explode. Abnoy consciously or unconciously has no plan at all to address said problems. Given the political scenarious we are in, how do we solve the problems of Juan Tamad, Your guess is as good as mine.

virgoyap

That’s why they elected Sotto, Revilla, Lapid, and Estrada as their senators. Poor Philippines!!! There are many talented and very qualified candidates suitable for a senate position but they are being set aside.

RomyLitz

The Election Code must be revised where candidates without college diploma has no business in the lawmaking bodies. Voters qualification and weighing system must be included where then you can have PH.D , Masters Degree holder have more weight than a high school or elementary graduates. This method we can have a check and balance for dynasty-prone candidate. Since the best and the brightest have more say in the election , the corruption prone systems will be revised by the elite principled men/women.

Just to remind Sen. Miriam. The electorate( educated and uneducated) voted and
tried both varieties of leaders. Marcos, who almost perfected the bar exams
while incarcerated at that. And look where it got us. Then we had Erap who,
well, had a head for numbers ( jueteng) and figures ( the soft and rounded variety
with legs). And yes, Erap also perfected the bar. The kind that gives you
hangovers. There are those who say that Erap’s heart is in the right place
but there are also those who say that his sense of right and wrong and his
intellect are in perpetual jiu -jitsu.

The senate itself where Sen. Miriam many times holds court and
dazzles with her brilliance and razor – sharp intellect, is a window
of the kind of leaders the electorate deserves. To be fair, a good
number of them deserve to be there (Sen. Miriam included) and
a sprinkling few are just plain clueless as to what the heck is
going on.
And so I say again, look where it got us.

if you follow rule of law, that means you are educated of the law, it is an “uneducated” if you convict a person without due regard to the rule of law…the senators who voted for corona saw that the rule of law has been disregarded…it is “uneducated” if you regard your idea as the ultimate truth and consider other than yours as a wrong…

RomyLitz

This is Brenda’s biggest blunder or she did it intentionally because she was paid to vote for Atong or out of gratitude to Ella Dewende. But I agree wiht her plans to amend the election code. Non-college graduates from certified top 40 unversities in the Philippines must not be allowed to even run for a Baranggay Captain post. To be a congressman or senator, must need at least two diplomas,
law and MBA major in economics. We need the best and the brightest in the law making body. We are not the first since the Greeks did it this way.

2doppey2

I happens everywhere look at the US when Obama gave phones, entitlement and immigration. We have generations of poor and lazy people. They all want something free instead of working for it.

AlexanderAmproz

I imagine that you are speaking of “elites” children’s,
Thin meddle class, mostly Chinoy, are working hard for survival,
even if they are lucky coming out of UP.

The masses are totally lost, thank’s of fake text books and churches
partnership with the Power.
Pinoy’s are slaves in their own country under gang’s pressure
and corruptions, an “elites” game, a colonial inheritance.

A starvation situation with between 2 and 4 harvest a Year,
similar to peoples living in the desert with almost no harvest !

Fishing’s right’s sold to Japanese’s and Taiwanese’s on purpose
to squeeze the population, starvation is the oldest way to control peoples,
the result, no more fish’s, half of the population below poverty !

Thank’s land grabbing’s with mass murders done by private armies,
nothing left for the majority of the population,
food production done for export, etc., etc.

Wish you to get brook, landing on “smokey mountain’s”,
to learn what is the true life of the “lazy’s” who are not born rich
with a pair of guns, gold and goons !

So with the voters ! Amend that the vote of a college graduate is equal to 3 or 4 votes to those without college diploma. Those PH.D and Masters degree holder will have their vote counted 10 times than the diplomaless voter.College graduate candidates must have finished in the the top 40 college schools or universities accredited by the COMELEC to have a good quality of education !

Miriam is absolutely right. but how can we expect educated voters when the government does not
prioritize projects for education of the people? when poverty is at its highest which means a big bulk of these voters possibly did not finish school, or could not afford quality education? and to top it off, cheating and vote buying still exists.

in addition, the government should have higher qualifications for candidates. plus an exam for their physical and mental fitness. we wouldnt want our leaders to be physically and mentally weak. look whats happening now…

buttones

Whilst I agree with Senators comments, I think I have to remind her, that the education of the electorate, and indeed the upcoming ones as well, and the general populace is actually charged to ’government’ of which she is part of , along with the apparatchiks in the lower House, who may or may not have regard to any sort of basic education for the most of us. The system we have, of education, is a product of the system we have, it was actually formed by government, so the responsibility lies with them does it not? That we end up with ’borderline morons’ is the fault of the government.. Or maybe ‘borderline morons’ are more malleable when it comes to getting a few more votes?

boldyak

the accreditation of a political party should be revisited and be made strict in selecting their candidates….how they select their officers and members, political parties should screen their members, candidates who jumps party should be banned to run in the succeeding election…at the moment the political parties are chaired by people with conflict of interests…comelec should review their bylaws…candidates are being fielded by the most moneyed and most influential figures in their party…this is the main reason why people doesn’t have a good choice..

LuwigVonMises

this witch was voted by the same people she is insulting. and that she is one of those stupid leaders she is talking about. so………wtf is she talking all about. she is insane all things she talks about don’t make much sense. a sick person who seek attention for some sick reasons. the witch must know that not because you are educated you are smart and make all the right decisions (just like her an educated person then say all this stupid things), and that if you are not educated you are stupid and you make all the wrong decisions.

joe__bloggs

““If a person is a borderline moron, why should his vote equal the vote of a college graduate?”

It can be argued that degree holders can be borderline morons, too. What then? Up the bar higher and allow only members of Mensa? Well, that would exclude even Senator Santiago!

IT IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE …

LuwigVonMises

she should not insult the masses she have sworn to serve nor should she blame the people. because all the problem she is stating is cause by the government itself not the people. Through it’s corruption or incompetence, or the government itself with its unguided countless regulations that does not really apply in real life. the government should become smaller and that government should only be for the protection of individual freedom nothing more and not to control the lives of everyone.

Sounds brutal at ngmamagaling na naman si Madam Miriam. Pero know what, she is RIGHT! Absolutely. Its always been the frustration of the thinking public to be sidetracked by the gullible majority. Well, they are not borderline morons probably, but are nonetheless unmindful of their choices. And if this continues, then the Philippines will just have to look at the bright future from afar.

My suggestion would be, not only to raise the standard of educational qualification of candidates but to also raise the ‘moral’ (for lack of better word) qualification. For example siguro those with 2 or more relatives who are in office should inhibit from running in a position in the government. Or those people na tatakbo as direct successor to the throne ng kanilang kamag-anak should be disqualified to prevent political dynasties. Because quite honestly, I think maraming corruption na nangyayari sa likod ng mga dynasties na ito dahil tila ayaw nila bumitaw sa kapangyarihan. Ofcourse, ‘morality’ is debatable, I’m aware of that. What I’m trying to say is siguro itaas ang level of screening sa mga papasok sa pulitika.

Since the government spends money coming from taxes collected, only Filipino citizens who are non delinquent taxpayers (irregardless of education) should be allowed to vote during elections..

malek_abdul

“If a person is a borderline moron, why should his vote equal the vote of a college graduate?” she said. – Senator Santago while it is true the there is a need to educate our voters let us not call them borderline morons. They vote according to their freedom of choice and besides majority of these borderline morons put you where you are now.

Atagalong

Senator Santiago has a very good point and keen observation. Somehow, giving those with higher education priority over those who do no have will just result in the same political merry-go-around. Her anti epal and political dynasties are splendid ideas. But then if you look at the the political coalition, one can readily see that the older Maceda of the UNA meets the bill, so with Bam Aquino of the Liberal Party coalition. But look at the dynastic and engrained political trend, that these coalitions are giving NoyNoy, i.e., Bam and Tingting Cojuangco. They are educationally qualified but then same old, same old family. VP Binay’s daughter as part of the senatorial lineup and all of the senatorial candidates are almost like a familty affair.
Sentors are there to equalize the sheer majority and political force of the Lower House or the representatives. How can this be done when practically all candidates are coming from one place – Luzon? The creation of multi political parties and their coalitions plus the party-lists representatives make it a complete political stranglehold by the people from Luzon.

There are now 12 regions in the Philippines. Why not then allocate 2 senatorial candidates in each region to make up for the 24 senators for the Upper House or Senate. Maybe an additional 2 more senators to represent Metro Manila. This way, it doesn’t matter if they elect over and over an Estrada/Ejercito, Binay or Enrile, or an Angara or Aquino, at least, those dynastic families will be fighting each other within each region.

captainramius

Thats federal form of govt you are advocating… which some sectors are also suggesting to check the rise of political dynasty… I for one also subscribe to this rather than nationwide and you will have the uneducated voters outnumbering the educated votes so they voted twice to the senate people like Lito Lapid ( who dont speak english ) over the likes of the late Haydee Yorac or Wennie Monsod.

http://www.dafk.net/what/ Kilabot ng mga Balahibo

ummm. because the voters vote for those that represent them best.

after all, lots of certifiable crazy people out there voted for you, right?

patintera

“because all the problem she is stating is cause by the government itself not the people.”

educated or not is not the problem.. ANG PROBLEMA LAHAT KAYO NA PULITIKO KURAKOT..

captainramius

Actually Senator also touches a very valid point. Legislative work as in the Senate requires legal expertise and mastery of the english language as all our laws are in english. How on earth now can the likes of Lito Lapid who did not reach college inact laws or pass valid laws without depending on his staff ? I for one suspect that these senators are just a front of someone behind him dictating what to do. The signs are there , they dont even engaged in senate debates and when they give out privileges speeches copy pa almost word for word.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GRJCBEOUL25WWKSSM3JV7IFFII syaoransangel

instead of disparaging them, santiago should thank these uneducated voters for electing a mental patient like her.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GYYFBINDMTZHM6TDHPB667452M agustin

we should change the constitution. the change would be : the voters are educated and the candidates are highly educated in order for them to be qualified. in order for this nation not to be disqualified for progress.

To_Be_Continued

Santiago: Most voters not educated

Santiago has so much to thank the uneducated voters. If not for them, she would have not been elected to her office.

Sorry but I don’t think you looked intelligent during the Corona impeachment trial. You looked like a toad.

Your_King

Its hard to argue her point. When the people vote in someone into the Presidency who has had no accomplishment during his time in other elected government positions then you know that most voters must not be educated. In addition, voting someone into the Presidency because of that’s persons family tragedy and due to his last name is also not educated voting. Sympathy vote going before qualification vote is not a smart vote.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_U62PHGMKO4RK7BLMC4ACA4EG5A EREC

Yong mga qualifications nakasaad sa konstitusyon para sa kandidato at sa boboto ay for politics puspose not for the quality leadership and resposible voting….. so summation after each elections the nation is suffering….because of lack education and knowledge by elected politicians.

If most of senators will be like Sen. Meriam Santiago education background and knowledge, I think in senate floor more value time for debates that will result a valueble, spicific and clear substative laws.

LabkoPinas

Since Senator Santiago has now candidly and openly admitted to the illiteracy of majority of the filipino voters, why doesn’t she pass a bill requiring that filipinos have a chance to get a college education thru a student loan similar to ones the US has for its students? Then, we will decrease the number of illiterate voters. I am sure we can fund this especially if we decrease corruption in government and increase tax collections and start collecting taxes from all this religious organizations and schools.

Platypus09

This is really true.

We are so immature as to what voting is all about, what are it’s repercussions on the next three to six years from now, and it’s real value.

If we do, we should NOT be persuaded or forced to vote on election day and should not allow money or vote buying to be involved, even a single centavo.

We should just go and vote freely.

It is time to EDUCATE ourselves properly.

Let us have mock elections in our elementary and high schools all the time to start with for our children to follow and emulate so they would be educated on what is it like to have honest, MONEY-FREE (no vote buying which is very rampant) and properly-conducted elections.

agaylaya

Sen. Santiago…educated? I lied…..ha!ha!ha!

http://profile.yahoo.com/7HUSRYKF65T6BN4TIMB4A74QXU erwin

The best case scenario for the philippines: “quality” voters and “quality” candidates. But that will be the worst case scenario for you, Miriam.

bugoybanggers

Ang worst scenario ay ang kasalukuyan.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZO6UPIHFZEI7UD42G7E6TOHK6I Sulpicio

So Mrs Senator pass a bill free education up to college actually this will solve the problem if the people if poor can go to college. in this way there will be no more excuses that people can’t afford the cost of of the higher education

So, regular folks (without so much money) would be motivated to run for office and have a chance to win. This is the reason why we should conduct money-free elections.

Money should be used only in ads and other campaign materials, nothing else.

Anyone who resorts to vote buying should be put to jail, even for six months at least and have permanent criminal records.

white scorpion

senator santiago is right. perhaps our electoral reform should made the middle class stronger. since most of the middle class people are literate. just remembered i had a discussion with an engineer some 20 yrs back. maybe we should assign points in our election system. for example:
– a person earned some points in his/her education accomplishment.
– add some more points in his/her tax payment. the higher the tax a person made, the higher
the points earned.
– some more points to the community he/she live in. in order to force the local
executive to develop their community. hindi yun puro island, bangketa, street na lang
ang project. the more squatters a city have, the lesser the points earned in this category.
AND, the same points be deducted on every incumbent local executive AFTER the count
in his/her electoral votes.
perhaps these would give the INCORRUPTIBLE middle class greater voice. and obligate the local executives to develope not only puro street lang, but community rin.

but that’s about 20 yrs ago, over a bottle of beer (he.he). perhaps EVERYBODY wants to ERADICATE CORRUPTION. so am I…..

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QSBNZB3TEKHJE5A74STZTTUHC4 ed0408

Only taxpayers should be given the right to vote.

bugoybanggers

Somewhat correct.

white scorpion

senator santiago is right. perhaps our electoral reform should made the middle class stronger. since most of the middle class people are literate. just remembered i had a discussion with an engineer some 20 yrs back. maybe we should assign points in our election system. for example:
– a person earned some points in his/her education accomplishment.
– add some more points in his/her tax payment. the higher the tax a person made,
the higher the points earned.
– some more points to the community he/she live in. in order to obliged the local
executive to develop their community. hindi yun puro island, bangketa, street na lang
ang project. the more squatters a city have, the lesser the points earned in this category.
AND, the same points be deducted on every incumbent local executive AFTER the count
in his/her electoral votes.
perhaps these would give the INCORRUPTIBLE middle class greater voice. and obligate the local executives to develope not only puro street lang, but community rin.but that’s about 20 yrs ago, over a bottle of beer (he.he). perhaps EVERYBODY wants to ERADICATE CORRUPTION. so am I…..

yaonglaan

Empower people who are capable of wielding the power with knowledge skill and tools

The sins of the father/mother are NOT the sins of the son/daughter. Also, the mother is a well known doctor.

mangtom

Tama si Sen. Santiago-college degree requirement to run for public office. All candidates for political office must be graduates of WanBull(2x) University. After graduation, just dash to Recto for your diplomas. And we end up with a crop of leaders like S-otot. Then we will be the envy of the whole world.

Senator Santiago, now with what you say here, I couldn’t agree more! But I think the only way to help these people to elect a good candidate is to help themget out of poverty. Our impoverished countrymen have lost their honor and pride as voting citizens because they do not know where to get the food to put on their tables.

Ganymede

Therefore, they should be deprived of their voting rights for now.. until they become educated. Otherwise, they would vote for those who are “not educated for serving”.

gyvv

… merely, telling it as it is~

tiopaero

““If a person is a borderline moron, why should his vote equal the vote of a college graduate?”

One borderline moron now is in Malacanang holding the highest position of the land.

Ivideo

How I wish, borderline moron like what we have in Malacanan will fill up the seats of both the senate and the congress this coming election, then this country will surely fast tract its economic recovery from the devastation of the past administration of a well educated economist Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Roberto Ladao

This Moron has done a great job in running our country. The economy has greatly improve, the fastest growing economy in Asia, persecuted the Corrupt and the powerful. He has stand up against BULLY China. If a boderline personality can do this, then we need more boderline to run our country, in next six years.

http://profile.yahoo.com/2H52TOW7P7RAWOOXTOLNXEPEZ4 Andy

Mainstream media particularly the TV plays a major role in Philippine politics ! Both leading TV networks,the ABS-CBN and the GMA network are guilty of media bias that really influenced the minds of the electorate in choosing their candidates.Mind conditioning is the name of the game of philippine politics,branding and survey results are just part it. The media can project a politician into either a hero or a villain, regardless of the real character of the person. Most filipinos falls into this because of our appitite for the telenovelas.When the media projects a certain politician either a hero or a villain,the filipino electorate also would vote accordingly…everybody loves the hero and hates the villain, that translates to our election results.

nti_boohaya

I got you Ms Defensor. But what have you done to make the election process better? Granted that the process is imperfect at best, you of all people should have done something to at least address the issue of “unqualified” people ruling the nation from SK to barangay captain to mayors to governors and above all, senators. Almost 12 years in the senate and you have not done crap about any reforms. E kung mga galamay mo po ay nagbayad din sa mga botante para kayo po ay mahalal then in essence, you, too, are fueling the corrupt system of voting dummies in the government. Dakdak kayo ng dakdak e siguro naman meron kayong kakayanan na ibulgar o ipahuli ang mga lumalabag sa batas lalo na ngayon na may balibalita nanaman na ilan sa mga nahalal ay sangkot sa pagtutulak ng droga, illegal logging, smuggling, hijacking at kung ano ano pang illegal na gawain. Lumaki nga ng army ng Ampatuan dati e you never lifted a finger or wasted saliva over it. Meron pa ba kayong pick up lines madam?

Garo Ungaro

it not the fault of those elected…its the fault of those who voted them to this position…when majority is not educated about this issue and believing only that they had the right to vote…then the result is a question mark?… the principle and character of both the voters and the candidate is in question…the result most of the time is failure…and this is happening every election time…corruption is the sole engine that corrupted and run this environment..that’s why we have always produce a mediocre leaders…whos sole goals is to inrich themselves…this will always be repeated until such time time majority of the voters are educated about the issues…..

Ang sagut: You have to understand na utak hayup o langgam ang utak ng mga anti-RH gaya ni boywalanglaban. Proof: kung ano ang sinabi ng CBCP o yong papa nila sa Vatican yun ang sinusunod ng mga yes-men. No different from robot. Walang sariling decision. Their thoughts and behavior have to be in accordance to what the mafia head in Rome dictates. And they dutifully comply. Five hundred years under such a spell. Not long enough?

Bottom line: these robots have to stick to the party line or they get ex-communicated, a very sever penalty in their world of mafiosi.

We hear you load and clear. You lead and we follow; you run for president and we vote. For now the Comelec should run ads in TV, radio, movie theaters, newspapers, etc. to reach out to the poor and the uneducated the importance of their votes and the candidates background, such as, their educational background, relevant accomplishments, etc.

John_Galt_II

Tang inang to! “load and clear” papano naging educated to?

napali808

whoa..we got a potty mouth here. You better see a vet to have your mouth check. You are a sick puppy.

Uwe24

It’s sad to say, but I think it’s only to true. The vote buying is so common and flying voters are a plaque in this country. If you see a politician during his election campaign entering a bus and distributing 500 pesos bills to the passengers, do you think he does it because of being concerned of the peoples welfare?
You really must be dumb if you think so! He will get the money back when he enters office. But not only the money he gave to you, he will get an interest multiplied with the factor X! This guy just want you to vote for him so he can access the treasure chest of his precinct. He invests to plunder and enrich himself and if the fools he bribed with just 500 pesos vote for him he was successful. And that might be the money lacking important projects as hospitals, schools and other infrastructural projects that would REALLY help the people.
So: stupidity in voting leads to total dumbness and poverty in the future!

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GYYFBINDMTZHM6TDHPB667452M agustin

there should be a law, a law that will disqualify low educated candidates to run a gov’t position, a law that will disqualify un educated voters to vote. that suggested law will not disqualify our nation to progress and happiness.and a law that will eventually lead to the destruction of political dynasty.

http://profile.yahoo.com/AUNBI66J3EGEPMV5LFCN53OUGI JEO

She is right! We have so many incompetent officials, uneducated and out of this world kind of thinking! 21st century is way more different than the 19 century! Competency is the game now!

Our government must change or improve our constitution to a higher level now or else we will stay very stupid and funny nation as what other countries think of us!

This is a very sad reality on this country!

Julius_Caesar1

Voting for “educated (diploma)/college graduate” leaders if that is what she means, is not good enough. Although I do agree with her that candidates should preferably be college graduates. But its still not good enough! There are candidates who have been educated in the best universities here and abroad but yet as public servants they have failed over the years. Its unimaginable how/why people still elect them (Hindi talaga natuto ang mga pinoy). In simplicity people just have difficulty electing good leaders.

What she should have said, allow me to rephrase her statement.

Santiago: Most voters, HAVE to be educated in to electing good leaders.

Solution: Lets educate our voters into choosing good leaders.

(I would also push for charter change but thats a long story.)

Currently what can be done.

I believe each person running for a government elected post should have a bio-data readily available and accessible. That bio-data should be made and formatted by the Comelec.

The bio-data should contain all the basics similar to a resume eg. educational background, work experience, affiliations etc…

I would also prefer if the bio-data would contain some background on the said candidates family eg. political background, any kin who are vying also for an elective post, any relatives who are involved in the government what so ever. (this is to provide some awareness of political dynasties)

One other thing that will make this bio-data unique from a mere resume is has to contain any past anomalies they had with certain government projects/corporations if there are ANY.

That bio-data should also be in tagalog so that the other pinoy’s can comprehend it. I believe not all pinoy’s are illiterate. My maids can follow/read recipes provided its in tagalog, these are the people who haven’t even finished elementary. The same goes with my drivers who can follow signals and read their Philippine tabloid on a daily basis. So if they can read all that they most certainly can read a bio-data in tagalog.

Its not much of a suggestion but its a good start. Any suggestions?

pinoyobserver

The problem that ails the Philippine politics is not the level of education of its politicians but the lack of character. There is a shortage of Filipinos who truly love their country, has its best interests at heart, and are willing to fight for what is true and right. It does not matter how highly educated a politician is. We already have a surplus of supposedly distinguised graduates of our highest educational institutions at the helm of government. It is their lack of character that will keep us perpetually doomed. Lack of character has NOTHING to do with level of education. The higher level of education of our politicians just makes their lack of character WORSE because they can exploit their position even better to serve their self-interests intead of the interest of the Filipino people. Thievery and self-interest is not based on level of education. So MDS, stop flattering yourself and misleading people as to why the Philippines is mired to where it is right now.

http://profile.yahoo.com/DO7ACWCHNOOUPYEUWAEWXM5CDU TADA_SOLO

Could not agree more an astute observation of immense importance. Our culture places less importance on character. It is so alien to our national conversation that santiago failed to mentioned it. Our culture is so enamored with degrees and titles that having a public ” positive” image is synonymous with “success”

“She exhorted her student audience to begin a social media campaign that would encourage “smart voting among the uneducated” by insisting that candidates adhere to “academic and professional excellence” as well as a “record of moral positions on national policy issues.”
“For example, you should campaign so that voters will say ‘yes’ to candidates who favors the bills that I have filed such as the reproductive health bill, sin tax bill, Magna Carta for Internet Freedom bill and the freedom of information bill,” the senator said.
Santiago also urged the students to rally against “epal (credit-grabbing) candidates, political dynasties and premature campaigning.”
(Excerpt from the inquirer)
This I 100% agree with!

My mom

DEMOCRACY assumes that every Tom, Dick, and Harry could become presidents. There are always salaried technocrats in government to help and guide them. Restricting elective posts to the priesthood of the educated elite, as Sen. Santiago espouses, narrows down free choice. No chance ma-elect ang mga katulad nila Nick Joaquin, Macliing Dulag, at Andres Bonifacio.

mangTASYO

Distinction between insanity and highly creative thinking is wafer thin – new Swedish research confirms.

Genius and Insanity:
In another study, scientists found that mental disorder such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are always found in highly creative and intelligent people. Bipolar sufferer Kay Redfield Jamison, an American clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Univ Sch of Medicine, said that findings of several scientific studies confirmed the idea of “tortured genius” or “mad scientist”.

Given the above, it is therefore scientifically true and is highly possible na maari tayong magkaroon ng mga sumusunod:

In addition to the above trite, hackneyed remarks, let us add:
“Gloria Macapal Dorovo and her Dorovo-ing.”

With the addition of the above expression, the puzzle is complete. Don’t you think so, Tasyo?

jiya mata itsudamemo genki de..

Garo Ungaro

well some of the most productive people are those whom has some mental issues as seen by ordinary people…genuses are just same ordenary people the only difference are they are ahead or 3x ahead on their mental abilities…thats why some are branded as crazy…as long as their productive to their chosen callings then maybe thats fine…the problem is if ur branded as such then…ur really crazy…education…respect is needed…but very few are educated and respectful on this issue…

mangTASYO

Nice one, so what do you think of Miriam Santiago, her egoistic, sarcastic and discriminatory remarks?

Her bar rating was only 76% yet she talks like a nerd full of nerve.

Hence, to understand the woman, we need to consider that perhaps she is just a lunatic having a high IQ as explained by medical science.

Talking of education and respect…the lady senator is devoid of these items. God created man and woman equal in dignity and value. Miriam is drawing a line of division – DISCRIMINATION!

What an idiot masquerading as a “learned” class. We had throughout our history been led by so called educated class and looked at where we are right now. santiago and her immense ego made more pronounce by being a member of a clueless body the senate, is a product of our failed educational culture whose aim is to undermined its system they pretend to protect and care. It is a system constantly and deliberately place on the sidelines by santiago and her colleague to protect their interest rather than the national will. We can never prosper and move forward if we elect comedians like her.

Elle_Wayne

Uhm, I think you need to look up the word ‘comedian’ because last I checked, she has never been one.
It shows how bad off our society is when the educated are being persecuted.

jdlc

Typical Miriam, one of the few senators brave enough to raise highly sensitive issues.
NO to educational requirement for voters. (we don’t want to further increase the social divide)
YES to educational requirement for candidates. (different levels depending on position)

JuanTamadachi

I am not normally a fan of Brenda.. In fact I am one of her staunchest critics.. But on this one, I must doff my hat to her.. Well said Senator Brenda..

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VPSXDLCQEZGZDJSX32G7PYHNCI Noel

Miriam is referring to Lito Lapid who did not even finish high school. Erap is not a college graduate but he might be slighted by Miriam’s comments considering that the two are very close in private.

JuanTamadachi

I feel Erap wont be slighted by Miriam’s FEU speech for as long as she does not take umbrage about her 76% grade in the bar exams..

zeroko

This proves that no men or woman is purely black or white. In what Miriam has just stated, we deserves a serious retrospecting, are poor uneducated people has the right to vote?. Are we a nation of legitimate voters or a nation of fools? I’m an Independent Mayor Candidate here in Q.C. and I run in the last May 2010 election, and still am. One of my observation is that the “Bakya Crowd” had mixed fantasy with reality. Being a Independent Mayor Candidate, I walked almost the entire Q.C., but I failed to cover the whole place. Subdivisions would not entertain accommodate me, prestigious organizations would not invite me in debates, and worst, Q.C. is just too big. My major contenders Bistek is a lot better, he has political coordinator in all considerable places to help him. In fact, he never appeared in any debate, he was avoiding Mike Defensors tirade on his P 200 million expenses on snacks. With so much campaign funds, the group of Bistek can gather the crowed on schedule, while I have to go to the farthest nooks of squatter areas to meet the people. He he he. A Q.C. Councilor who was formerly an actor can get more attention than I. With live bands going forward in his parade, and uniform followers, the Actor-candidate succeed to get the desired effect and attention, even without speaking in the entire political campaign. His reputation as an Actor did favor him .

I admit that I made pre-mature campaigning, but, who respects the law anyway? I started walking first week of January 2010, economizing in mind because I am saving on the few tarpaulins and band paper where I’ll print my agenda. I just have two ordinary set of computers and printers at my disposal while Bistek while inside his air-condition room just needs to call his assistance to print thousands of tarpaulins and flyers, and guess what, at tax-payers money. He never have it so good. The political machinery is very formidable foe. Worst, the entire 143 Barangay Councils of Q.C. were openly campaigning for Belmonte group of relatives, Bistek, and their allies. I am just alone.I concentrated my campaign among the marginalize poor, the dispossess, or the informal settlers, and hope that they would understand what I am driving at. But, he he he. These people were the ones bringing down our democracy. While walking alone one of the Payatas Road (a dusty and unpaved road with a stinking smell of rotting garbage), I almost give up. The temperature was souring above 36 Celcius, and everyone is taking a nap. But I persistent, hoping that in my last day of my life, I will leave the legacy of honesty and dedication to public service. I promised myself that had I won, I will just live on my basic salary of 15,500 pesos. No, bonuses, no SUV, no Emergency, Contingency and Exemplary expenses where millions of pesos are being wasted or misused by high officials of Q.C.. In fact, before, Q.C. LGU has millions of pesos as intelligence funds. he he he. For what?But, I am undaunted To fight, I will comes May 2013. I did not spend so much in May 2010 election because I did not expect to win against multi-millionaires like Mike Defensor or Congresswoman Annie Sosanno, But this time, speak up even if there is no audience so that you will hear my agenda.I pity those big wig politicians who spend their money in just one bout, now they are no longer around……………….

Senator Miriam Defensor speaks the truth, the “Bakya Crowd” has let the entire country down.

band1do

No offence but judging by the quality and your command of the English grammer, I’d say that you are undoubtedly one of those who the Senator refers too as “unqualified candidates”.

ano ikaw

grammer? Ano kamo? “who” or “whom”? “too” or “to”? Look who is talking.LOL

You mentioned “bakya crowd” as example of “unqualified voters” but failed to follow up your accusation. Instead you wasted valuable space wailing your election tirade to which no one cares. Pathetic, you!

I totally agree with Senator Miriam. I suggest that people paying taxes should only be allowed to vote. It’s like in a company, one is allowed to vote when you have shares of stocks. Currently, most of the voting public does not help the economy grow by paying taxes. They are even provided this Cash transfer program by the government and I cannot understand why they are given cash instead of rice, canned goods or other forms.